Wings Capital Partners is launched

R. Stephen Hannahs and Two Sigma Private Investments today announced the formation of Wings Capital Partners (WCP), a firm that will focus on making investments in and providing strategic advice and financing to the aviation industry.

Wings Capital Partners will, among other things, seek to purchase mid-life and end-of-life aircraft where the WCP team has relationships with counter-parties, equipment knowledge or a market view. In addition, WCP will make opportunistic investments, including private equity, where it has particular insight and can be a value-added owner.

Hannahs co-founded the Aviation Capital Group (ACG) in 1989, and served as its Chief Executive Officer as the company grew into a leading global aircraft lessor with a portfolio of more than 250 aircraft and over 90 airline customers in 45 countries.

Christopher Dennis-Meyer, who previously worked with Hannahs at ACG and most recently served as Senior Vice President of Intrepid Aviation, has also joined WCP as Senior Vice President and Partner.

“Steve Hannahs is an aviation industry veteran and innovator who established an extraordinary record of success at ACG,” said Brian Modesitt, Managing Director in Two Sigma's Private Investment group. “We are excited to join with Steve and his team at Wings Capital Partners and to provide a flexible capital base that will allow WCP to execute its business plan and vision.”

“We are delighted to be partnering with Steve and Chris in this new venture,” said Wray Thorn, Chief Investment Officer of Two Sigma's Private Investments group. “We believe that WCP is well positioned to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities in the aviation industry.”

“This is a great opportunity to partner with Two Sigma,” said Hannahs. “This partnership will bring a unique form of flexible capital to an industry that continually seeks innovative ways to finance itself. Two Sigma has already demonstrated a forward looking vision in the deployment of capital in our commitments to a variety of different projects. WCP will be a boutique aviation investment firm.”